Cards to announce multi-year deal for Carpenter

Jenifer Langosch/MLB.com

The Cardinals have called a 10 a.m. CT press conference on Saturday during which they will announce reaching multi-year deal with Matt Carpenter. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch first reported discussions taking place on a six-year extension earlier in the week. The club has not commented on the reports.

Carpenter, who was already to be under team control for the next four seasons, has not confirmed the agreement but did say that he would be “extremely grateful” should something be completed.

Added manager Mike Matheny: “It’s one of those great stories for a guy that didn’t necessarily have the golden road paved for him. He’s come in, he’s worked his butt off and he’s done a real nice job. I know the conversations have started and hopefully they’ll continue.”

This marks the third straight spring in which the Cardinals have signed a core player to an extension. Yadier Molina inked his current five-year deal in 2012. Last year, both Adam Wainwright and Allen Craig accepted multi-year offers.

A six-year deal would buy out Carpenter’s final pre-arbitration year, three arbitration seasons and his first two years of free agency. He made $504,000 in 2013, and he would have had his contract renewed at a slightly higher salary if no multi-year agreement was reached this spring.

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